Clamp



G. B. DAVIS.

(NoModeL) CLAMP.

No. 544,292. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

51mm Gearye liJJWlZs, ,1"?

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. DAVIS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.-

CLAMP.

.EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,292, dated August13, 1895.

Application filed July 14,1 894- Serial No. 517,579. (No model.)

0 mi whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Clamps; and my preferred mannerof carrying out the invention is set forth in the following full, clear,and exact description, terminating with claims particularly specifyingthe novelty.

This invention relates to carpentry, and inore'especially to clamps suchas are used for connecting two bars or members of wood or othermaterial, as more fully set forth below.

This improved clamp is to be applied in the building of abutments, cribor pile work in thewater or on land, ship-building, scaffold,

work, or any kind of construction of woodiron, metal, stone, cement,cloth, paper, or other material; and my invention consists in thedetails of construction described below, and as illustrated in thedrawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a column in perspective, and thisview also illustrates in perspective one form of my clamp applied to thecenter of the column, and shows a base-piece as forming the base of thecolumn. Fig. 2is a perspective detail of a double form of my clamp.

The various parts of this improved clamp are preferably of metal orother similar and suitable materialsufficiently strong for the uses towhich it is to be put, and yet sufficiently light to avoid the wholebeing cumbersome, heavy, or bungling.

The letter M designates a column or other member extending from theceiling M to the flooring M or extending horizontally between these twomembers.

At the top of Fig. 1 are two parts or halvesA A of a shape to surroundthe column M, which is here shown as round. ,At their upper ends thesetwo parts A A have outwardly-projecting hooks a taking upward throughthe body of the cap member M. In applying this de vice the hooks arepassed through said member, and the two parts A A are brought togetheraround the column M, whichforces said hooks apart, after which a bolt orbolts a are passed through the parts and the column, as shown. Althoughnot here illustrated, the

inner faces of the parts A A are preferably provided with teeth, asdescribed below;

At the lower part of Fig. 1 C is a base-piece having teeth T on itslower face, whichembed the floor M by the weight of the superimposedstructure, or may be caused to embed the floor by placing bolts orscrews through the holes 0 and drawing the base down on the floor. Inthe upper face of this base is a cavity 0', of a proper size and shapeto receive the column M.

It will be understood that the piece 0 could be used at the upper orlower or both ends of the column, or the device composed of the parts Acould be used in any of these posi tions. However, the constructionsabove described for the upper and lower ends of the column M form noessential parts of the clamp described below, but'are shown asillustrating merely one form of connection which may be used at theseextremities.

Near the center of Fig. l I have shown the preferred form of my clamp,which is portable, and which is intended to be applied to a column, asM, to form a support for a projecting arm, (not shown), as whenit isdesired to build a staging alongside such column. This clamp consists oftwo parts B B, which also have teeth on their inner faces embedding thecolumn, and these parts may be held to the column by a bolt or bolts 6,as seen in dotted lines, or otherwise; but the means I preferably employfor drawing these parts together are as follows: D designates hooksprojecting from the part B, and d is a wedge or block formed integralwith or removable from the part B. d is a fork having hooks d at itsextremities adapted to take into hooks D on the part B, while the smoothcenter of the fork engages the wedge d; and d is a socket on the forkfor receiving a crow-bar or other handle, so as to properly move thefork. This socket is preferably formed with an upper plate T connectingthe upright sides of the socket proper and near the fork d, and a lowerplate T connecting the lower edges of said sides at their outer ends andhaving its inner edge quite remote from the fork, both said plates T and'1 having teeth on their inner faces, as shown. When thehandle H isinserted in this socket, its extremity passes under the plate T whileits body rests over the plate T and by bearing down on the outer end ofthe handle to move the fork down the wedge the teeth on the two plateswill be embedded in the handle. The fact that the inner edge of thelowerplate '1 is more remote from the fork than the outer edge of the upperplate T permits the use of a handle which is even larger than the heightof the side pieces (1 However, the use of this specific form of socketis optional, and an ordinary socket may be here employed, if desired. Infact, I believe an ordinary socket would be preferable if the handle isto be of hard material or is intended to be removed. After the two parts13 B are assembled the bolts 1) may or may not be used, and the forkitself may or may not be removed entire.

In Fig. 2 the two members M are not in alignment, and the form of myclamp E, which connects them, is shaped to correspond. It is -formed oftwo parts having complementary grooves near their outer edges, so as toprovide two sockets for holding the members. These parts can be heldtogether by bolts, as indicated at c, and which would pass through theparts where they touch each other between the members, but they will bedrawn together by the fork and cooperating mechanism of Fig. 1, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that in its preferred form and use each part is made ofmetal and cast with teeth T, so as to embed a wooden member againstwhich it is drawn and held by bolts, screws, or other means. At Fig. 1 Ishow a clamp removably engaging an upright member, so as to supportscaffolding, staging, or any temporary framework, and in Fig. 2 theparts of the clamp have double cavities for connecting members which arenot in alignment, but which stand approximately parallel.

It will be understood that there are nu mberless other uses to which oneor both parts of this clamp may be put; but I believe I have illustratedand described enough to give a clear conception of my idea.

Vhat is claimed as new is- 1. In a clamp for use as herein described,the combination with two parts, and hooks at the edges of one part; of afork adapted to span the other part and having hooked ends removablyengaging said hooks, a wedge under the fork, a socket at the outer endof the fork, and a handle removably inserted in said socket, as and forthe purpose specified.

2. In a clamp for use as herein described, the combination with twoparts, and hooks at the edges of one part; of a fork adapted to span theother part and having hooked ends removably engaging said hooks, a Wedgebetween the latter part and the fork, and a socket at the outer end ofthe fork consisting of upright side pieces connected by top and bottomplates having teeth on their inner faces, the upper plate standing nearthe fork and the lower plate standing remote from the fork with anopening between its inner edge and the fork, as and for the purposespecified.

3. In a clamp for use as herein described, the combination with twoparts, and a fork for drawing them together substantially in the mannerset forth; of a socket at the outer end "of the fork consisting ofupright side pieces connected by top and bottom plates having teeth ontheir inner faces, the upper plate standing near the fork and the lowerplate standing remote from the fork with an opening between its inneredge and the fork, and a rectangular handle removablyinserted in saidsocket, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature on this the19th day of June, A. D. 1894.

GEORGE E. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

J. M. Jonas, A. M. JONES.

